Is Blue the New Green?

Can the world smartly shop its way to sustainability? That's what former Sierra Club President Adam Werbach says in arguing that blue is the hip new green. He thinks folks are sick of "green" and so appropriated the European-style "blue," which has fewer grow-your-own-granola connotations.

Every product you buy should be a gateway to a personal sustainability practice, he wrote in today's San Francisco Chronicle. 

The first step is developing your own personal practices. The second step is asking the stores where you shop to start carrying products that support your practice. And the third step is sharing your practice with your friends. It all starts with you.

Read more about Werbach’s blue mood here.

In other color spectrum news, the Sierra Club recently partnered with the United Steelworkers and the Natural Resources Defense Council to form the Blue-Green Alliance, a move meant to stimulate environmentally friendly jobs. So let’s see, green + blue . . . does this mean this blog should change its name to The Cyan Life or The Turquoise Life?

--Della Watson

Comments

[Steve]

Kermit says, "It's not easy being green."

[Vihar Sheth]

While I appreciate the philosophy behind being "blue", I fear that the dichotomy of the political landscape in the U.S. will prevent the concept (read: color) from catching on. I know a few conservatives who are very "green" - oh the irony - but would be opposed to claiming to be blue because of the color's affiliation with Democrats.

[Denise Wood]

Green is good! People know what it means and it in no way has tree-hugger connotations except to the unreachable 30% who still give Bush favorable ratings. It's working, leave it the heck alone!!

[Sarasmiles]

I agree with Denise. Green is good.

[Beth Remmes]

There is a great way to make green purchases and share the information with your friends through home Eco parties. Please visit www.zolagoods.com for more information.

[carol]

Blue is certainly entering the picture,even in the US (think "Our Blue Planet"). But, at this point in time, I think its easier to get people to adapt their concept of green to meet current expectations than it is to introduce a whole new color.

To focus on the purchasing power, link green (greenbacks $) with Green (environment. For example "Use your green to create some Green").

We all know the color of US money is changing. During that transition, combine blue and green, as in "Use your green $ to save our blue planet". By the time the money changes we'd could phase out green (local focus) and emphasize the blue (whole earth focus).

It's a thought anyway...

[carol]

Vihar,
You should tell those "Republicans" that they should take a closer look at our flag. Last time I looked it was red, white and BLUE. If they're that picky then the Democrats should take credit for the BLUE sky and the BLUE sea. Besides, back in the 50's it was the big RED scare, not the big BLUE one!

When I think more about it, Bush could talk until he was BLUE in the face. I still wouldn't believe a word he said.

Sorry, I'm irritated by that kind of shallow politics. Sometimes I can't help but respond. Yeah, at my age (60) I should know better.

[econouvelle]

Let's keep it simple. Many people I know are just getting accustomed to living "green." How can there be green fatigue if people are just starting to make lifestyle changes?

[Mary Beth]

Yeah, what's wrong with grow your own granola? I've been a green tree hugger waaay too long (1965) to give up now just when it's becoming mandatory for survival. Nice to see a lot of people are finally getting with the program.

[caroline]

When people say they are "blue" it usually means they are depressed. Green is a perfect color to associate with conservation. There are people that are slow to catch on and a color symbol won't matter at all.

[Michael]

Switching to blue is not, IMHO, a good idea for all the reasons already mentioned. If we must move away from green, perhaps we should move away from colors totally and use something more descriptive like "eco-friendly" or just "eco".

[Barbara]

Blue is a lovely color, of course, especially in nature (sky, water, bluebells (I happen to really like bluebells).. and blueberries (lots of anti-oxidant..but I digress. Greens, blues, earth colors.... I'm sure that we all associate them with the environment and with environmental issues - but as others have said, let's continue to refer to these issues as "green". It works, it's recognized... so why change it?

[elizabeth hestevold]

Blue is spiritual.But Green has to do with growth, besides the color green is soothing to the mind and eye,that is a known fact..
It now stands for something which unites,so why change that,and cause dissent of opinion,and drive away from what is important,our enviroment at large.
Warter, the ocean has green tones in it,and plankton and other weetland growths are green.
Cacti in the dessert is green, as are the canyans this time of the year,in places.Hope is ever green,is an old phrase,and the Green color none political as such. So what is wrong with green?

[Myla]

So sad...the worries about being affiliated with blue as part of the Democrats...we are resorting to talking like gang member affiliates ("I don't like blue, it's the Crips. Red is my color since I'm a Blood....") Heaven forbid there's ever a pink gang (there goes breast cancer), etc. It's simply a campaign, if people are intelligent enough they won't associate blue with a political party.

[Tom Kay]

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